I know it’s petty but would you be miffed?

[Topttumps]

So DD1 and her friends were due to sit her GCSEs last year. Than of course pandemic hit and they were cancelled. Their results were Emailed and the whole thing was totally ignored on schools social media channels etc.
The year 13s were able to collect their results presumably as less and the high achievers were mentioned in press releases etc etc.
This year was totally different with all years getting a mention and major accolades for all but especially top achievers on social media and press releases etc.
For full disclosure DD1 was one of the students who did well last year and her best friend was the Top Achiever. Throughout their time at the school they always felt that they were a forgotten year returning last etc and not benefitting from programmes such as D of E. etc etc.
So AIBU to be a little miffed. DD actually pointed the Press Release out and was miffed too.

Last year was such a mess wasn’t it? I do feel for them. Maybe talk to her about what a nonsense the media reporting is: anyone would think pretty girls who jump get the highest grades!

You are annoyed at media coverage not being sufficient last year?

Really? Top grades weren't enough

Really honestly no one cares, give it a few weeks or months and even your DD won't care. It seems important now but its not. As soon as you do the next thing after GCSEs such as a college course, apprenticeship, A levels then GCSEs are fairly meaningless. They are a stepping stone or a hoop to be jumped through thats all.

Maybe I'm missing something, but were you expecting a major media post/news report for each and every high achiever last year and also your DD?

Meh there were bigger things going on at the time. Today’s coverage is hopefully a reflection that things are slowly returning to some kind of normal.
Being miffed because things weren’t normally during a pandemic is a bit silly really

Seriously! Who cares. My child was just happy to get the results they wanted. Being in the press is irrelevant.

Last year everything was shit and no one knew what was going on and thought we were all going to die.

Hopefully in few years time you can look back and this will all be a distant memory.

And getting results isn't about being in the papers that's a bit shallow.

@Hellocatshome

Really honestly no one cares, give it a few weeks or months and even your DD won't care. It seems important now but its not. As soon as you do the next thing after GCSEs such as a college course, apprenticeship, A levels then GCSEs are fairly meaningless. They are a stepping stone or a hoop to be jumped through thats all.

Exactly. DS and I had this exact conversation today, really proud of him but really it’s just moving through life’s check points and onto the next goal.

Are you really complaining about how results were/weren't reported a year ago?

I’d have been harsh and reminded them that they got their results and have the rest of their lives and that the pandemic has bought so much more misery than not getting a mention in the paper,

But last year the news was all about the A level algorithm and students missing university places, then the back to CAGs for A levels and then using CAGs for GCSEs so that probably overshadowed the usual local news stories.

I find it really sad that the children who struggle and try really hard but are not able to get all your A* etc are forgotten EVERY year.

Also on "A level " results day, there are people picking up results for vocational courses and BTEC etc who work hard again they don't get a mention

There are any number of reasons to feel sorry and sad for the Covid generation of school kids. But the lack of press interest in their exam achievements has to be at the absolute bottom of the list.

YANBU, I agree that last year was a damp squib for a lot of kids and school could have made more effort. Ours did in that at least the pupils could go and get their results from school, the school provided a food van to give a little treat.
They missed so much with the pandemic that they will never get back - prom, last day fun, lots of goodbyes - that the press could have made a bit more of a fuss.

I kniw some posters may pile on this "it's a PANDEMIC doncha know!", "people have died, why are you complaining about THIS fgs" which is understandable - but there are things that could have been done to lift kids spirits a bit last year

Wasn't there a giant mess over grades last year, with the rules on what grades students would be given changed at the 11th hour?

Maybe schools didn't feel very celebratory, more relieved that they're managed to get through it.

I do hate how these days only recognise achievement and not effort.

YABVU

I don’t understand why you would be upset about this given the context of the times we were living through last year.

It doesn’t seem important in the grand scheme if things but little things like that do seem important,. Just remind her, that she should be happy the grades are what they are and everyone has had disappointments of some sort or other, due to covid. There are very few people not miffed at their own personal disappointments, so try to see the positives - which are fantastic grades.

I agree with you, it's petty.

She doesn’t really care about the Press Release stuff tbh. It was more about the school not really acknowledging how hard they had it last year and indeed in previous years too as they were very much the guinea pig year with various changes etc.IThis year the whole year got mentions for triumphing over adversity etc.

I have reassured her it doesn’t matter but she has lost so much in other areas too but always just put up with it.

Throughout school she has never ever had any recognition as she was always the quiet one sat in a corner causing no bother getting on with it. She and her friends were never picked for anything like sports and all previous awards always went to more assertive individuals.
I have told her that her reward will be the University place next year. Anything else doesn’t matter.